Exclusion Appeals

Children may be excluded from school for a number of reasons.

There are two types of exclusions:

1. Fixed period exclusion – a child is removed for a specific period. This must not exceed more than 45 school days in year. If a pupil has been excluded for more than 5 days, parents can appeal to the governing body.

2. Permanent exclusion – this means that a child has been expelled from school and should only ever be used as a last resort. The local authority has a duty to arrange alternative education from the 6th day.

If the appeal to the governing body is unsuccessful then you can ask the Independent Review Panel to look at the decision. The Independent Review Panel does not have the power to order a reinstatement of the child at school but can, for example, tell the governing body to reconsider their decision. There is a specific process and time limits to follow if you want to appeal to the Independent Review Panel. We can help you with this and provide representation at the hearing.